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A lot of it isn't much singing. It's low talking, plus it's drowned in reverb. Double-track and reverb are great ways to hide poor pitch control in the mix. 
Just funny how some things just happen.

Roy Orbison was painfully shy, but also had really, really poor vision. He wore thick glasses that were necessary for him to see the audience. On one trip, he realized he'd forgotten to bring his "normal" glasses. All he had on him were his sunglasses. 

With no choice, he hit the stage wearing his dark glasses. Between that and his quiet, shy style, the fans thought he was deep, brooding, and mysterious. After that, his manager forbade him from appearing in public or performing without sunglasses on!

The Doobie Brothers just uploaded some concert footage clips to YouTube in the past few days and me and Mrs. DeT watched a couple of them last night.  I knew Michael McDonald was back with them for a few years now, because one of my best friends is his bass player when he's doing his solo tours, and my buddy was told at the start of whatever year it was that the Doobie reunion happened to prepare for a slim tour schedule that year.  Well, it's been a few years now, and I'm wondering if MM will ever do a solo tour again.....he must be liking this Doobie thing, and it keeps going, so the demand must still be there for them.  

Anyway, even though I know McDonald's history with The Doobie Brothers, it's still weird to see him sit there as basically just a side guy, the keyboard player, for songs like Long Train Running.  He's such an icon in my mind that it's hard to process him being there on stage, but not as the main center of attention.  And, it kinda feels like a waste to me.  The Doobies Brothers did that song and many others like it just fine without him before he joined the band, but they don't really excel at the Michael McDonald style of music.....which is so great to me, that that's what I really want to hear if he's around.  Might as well let him do what only he can do rather than tag along in places where he's not even necessary.  

I realize this is completely me-centric.  Obviously, if he wants to re-join the Doobies and they want to have him, more power to them and they're free to do what they like doing.  From a "what I would prefer" perspective, I wish he were still doing his solo material.  

That said, those videos sound good.  They're old as the hills, but they still got it.  I'm 95% confident that it's not edited with a lot of heavy post-production, because I can hear the minor snags, which would usually be smoothed out with edits.  Which means they still sound incredibly good live.  


***Meanwhile, my buddy moved on to touring with Reba McIntyre for a while to pay his bills.  And then she quit to do The Voice and other TV stuff.  Honestly, hiring my friend is like a death knell for touring acts.  

Another thing we watched last night was Van Halen "Dreams" from 1995 in Toronto.

Alex Van Halen was wearing a neck brace, which made me wonder what happened.  Dude was sloppy in multiple spots, but I realized I don't care.  Guy probably had whiplash or something and got on stage anyway and said "F it, I'm about to go out here and rock their face off anyway."  Hellz yeah.  You show that neck injury who's boss, Alex. 

Also, the Van Halen brothers rightfully garnered a lot of attention for their skill, but it reminded me that Michael Anthony really was an underrated rock bassist, I think.  He stands in the musical arena with two of the best and doesn't drag them down at all.  I think he didn't get the attention he probably deserved because EVH was so iconic, and by extension, Alex too.  Also, Anthony's mullet was spectacular.